The 19-mile Red Sleep Mountain Drive at the National Bison Range opened for the season over the weekend, so we took our first trip there this year to see the wildlife, wildflowers and scenic views.
There were a handful of bison roaming around the road where it parallels Mission Creek, but we probably saw more pronghorn antelope and turtles. We also heard of, but didn't see, a black bear and two year-old cubs.
There were also plenty of wildflowers. On the drive up the west side of the mountain, we saw plenty of shooting stars, yellowbells and prairie smoke. Down on the north side, fields of arrowleaf balsamroot are making their way up the hills.
See the photos here.
Distance: 19-mile loop drive. Near the top of the mountain, there are two short trails: the half-mile round-trip Bitterroot Trail and the 1-mile round-trip High Point Trail.
Trailhead: From Missoula, drive 35 miles north on U.S. Highway 93 to Ravalli, then turn west on Highway 200. After about 6 miles, turn north on Highway 212 and drive about 4.5 miles to the entrance at Moiese.
